[hpsdr] New TAPR Product -- TASS Switch System

[John Ackermann N8UR]

A bit of shameless self-promotion, but hopefully of interest to the 
HPSDR community.

I've spent the last several months developing a computer-controlled 
relay switch system.  Some surplus switches I used in my time and 
frequency lab started failing and I decided to design a more modern 
replacement.

I ended up with an 8 port switch board controlled by an Arduino.  I 
think it will have applications for hams as well as time-nuts.  Like 
virtually everything I do, it ended up as a TAPR kit.

There's an introductory video at https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c

The relay board kit is $119 and we have a shield for the Arduino Mega 
2560 that can control 4 relay boards and costs $19.  The software is 
open source.The boards are now available from TAPR at
http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html

(BTW, I contribute my designs to TAPR and don't have any financial 
interest in sales.)

Here's the TAPR product announcement:

====
Now Available: The TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System

The TASS (Totally Awesome Switch System) is a general purpose 8 port 
DC-150 MHz relay-based switch. The hardware is designed to be very 
generic, with an inexpensive processor such as an Arduino providing the 
system logic. Control is via USB, with ethernet and other interfaces 
also available.

The TASS can be configured several ways, and multiple boards can be 
combined to create large switching systems. The TASS has many uses, from 
switching signal sources on a test bench or in a laboratory, to 
selecting receive antennas and filters in a ham or SWL station.

The TASS system has two boards:

*  The TASS-R relay board, which does the mechanics of signal switching 
and provides a very simple 10-pin interface.

*  The TASS-SHIELD board for use with an Arduino Mega 2560 
microcontroller. The TASS-SHIELD allows up to four TASS-R boards to be 
controlled simultaneously.

Both boards are available now from TAPR as kits.  They use through-hole 
parts and don't require any special assembly techniques.

The final component is open source software for the Arduino that acts as 
an interface between a host computer or other input system, and the 
switching hardware.  The software is available for download from TAPR.


An introductory video is available at
https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c

or from TAPR at

http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS/TASS_Intro_26Sep15.mp4

Software and documentation can be downloaded from
http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS.

You may order the TASS-R and TASS-SHIELD boards by visiting
http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html